The Day the Music Died
by WindsInTheEast
Summary: "No more music, no more laughing, nothing that reminds him of her. Even the children..." When Maria dies, will Georg slip behind his old Captain facade, or can he overcome his grief in order to be there for his children? Will he turn away from God again after all these years? Will Maria's passing finally break our ever-steady Captain?


**Hi, everyone! This is my first fanfic on this forum, so I'm still learning. Please leave a review if you have the time, it helps to know that someone is actually reading my story. This is a songfic based on one line of the song American Pie. Like I said, only one line (the title of this story) is used from the song... so I guess maybe it's not a literal songfic, but anyway... Oh, and the dates in this fic may not be accurate, so please don't be upset if they're off. This story is going to be quite angsty, so if you want fluff, you'll find very little here.**

 **Now I'll get the legal mumbo jumbo out of the way...**

 **I don't own The Sound of Music, the dialogue, or any of the characters (obviously). All credit goes to Robert Wise and 20th Century Fox**

 **I don't own the song American Pie. All credit goes to Don McLean and the producers.**

 **And finally, I am not making any money from this. None whatsoever.**

 **Enjoy and please review!**

 **P.S. See if you can spot the Julie Andrews Movie reference! It's pretty obvious.**

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 _But I knew I was out of luck the day the music died…_

 _15 September 1943_

She promised. She swore. Rationally, I know that it was completely out of any our control. But rational thinking is not a prime concern of mine at the moment. Honestly, I had always believed that I would be the first to go. Afterall, I am 25 years her senior, so it's only logical that things would play out that way. And I know it's wrong, but I'm angry. I'm furious. I'm angry at her. I'm angry at myself. I'm angry at the children because I see so much of her in them. But worst of all, I'm angry at God. Granted, I was angry at God when I lost Agathe, but when I found Maria, I knew that God had brought her to me. Even after all these years, he hadn't forgotten about me or given up on me. But I thought that was it. Maria was God's way of bringing my household back to him, and he had given me someone to love, someone who would love my children. And now he's taken her away from me. I don't understand it!

A loud, slamming noise broke me from my reverie. The door to my office had been shut, and Max stood in front of my desk with Liesl standing not too far behind him, her tears having left her face stained and wracked with pain and grief. I could feel her eyes on me as Max leaned in and spoke quietly. "Georg, the children are asking questions. Questions their father should answer, not their uncle or sister. They are confused, Georg. Eleonore and Rosemarie don't understand, of course, but Johannes is, well, you know how Johannes is. He's always asking questions, Georg. Marta and Gretl haven't left their room all morning. They told Liesel they wouldn't believe it until you told them yourself. They all need their father." Max's tone was beseeching, and Liesl's expression pleading, but all I could feel was anger. Anger and pain. "Father, please," Liesl's voice broke as she implored me to act. "I can't handle everything on my own again. Dedrick and I haven't even told Edmund and Mariel yet." Mariel. The youngest of my two grandchildren, the newest addition to the family, was named after her grandmother. Not only will her name always be a reminder of my wife, but Mariel is also the spitting image of Maria. This was truly a miracle, seeing as how Liesl is not even Maria's biological child. How will I be able to face my sweet granddaughter after this is over, let alone look into the eyes of my three youngest children? Rosemarie has Maria's beautiful strawberry blonde locks which frame her face in soft curls, but more importantly, she has Maria's voice. That voice. The melodious aria that 一bewitched me from the moment I laid eyes on her.

Why does everything have to become so tedious? Why do my children, even my grandchildren, hold such a resemblance to my darling Maria? Why…? I sighed. Why are there so many questions? And so little answers? If Maria was here, I know she would have all the answers. Once again I was reminded that I was not alone in my study. Max cleared his throat again, attempting to draw me back into the conversation. I want to be able to brood and grieve in private, but with 10 children, that isn't a luxury I can afford. "Listen, my friend, your children understand more than you give them credit for. But they need your love. They miss their mother. But they miss their father too. You can't leave them on their own at a time like this. Georg, you're a smart man. I shouldn't have to reason with yo一" I couldn't take it anymore. The grief was overwhelming. The loss was unbearable. The burden was suffocating me and I was fighting for relief. I exploded. "DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT REASON, MAX. THE HEART DOES THINGS FOR REASONS THAT REASON CANNOT EVEN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND. And God does things for reasons that I will never understand. For nearly 20 years, I had a wife whom I loved with all of my heart. For nearly 20 years, I didn't have to raise my children without a woman at my side. For nearly 20 years, I didn't have to shoulder the burdens on my own. And now, all at once, it was taken from me. Where is the reason in that, Max? Maria was so strong, so independent, so loved, and God ignored all of that and took her away from me." Max didn't cower, but Liesl pursed her quivering lips together tightly as her pupils shadowed over her crystalline eyes.

I sighed and leaned back in my chair, my breathing returning to a normal rate. They're right. I need to be there for my children. I pushed myself away from my desk and stalked out of the room. Max and Liesl didn't follow behind because I didn't hear the clatter of footsteps, only hushed whispers, and Lisel's quiet sobs. My heart was aching. I should know what to do in a situation like this, shouldn't I? I have done this once before. But as I'm looking into the faces of my precious children, I'm at a loss for words. I have no idea how to approach this, to confirm everything they have heard and seen, to tell them that their mother, the woman they have come to love like no other… she's gone.

A/N: I know this chapter was short, but I hope you enjoyed it! Did anyone spot the movie reference I mentioned? I hope you did… it was quite obvious. Please review!


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